Tag: ipad

iPad 3: Leaked Images Show Few External Changes, Big Internal Changes

UPDATE: iPad 3 Launch Event rumored for the first week of March.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Several images are circulating this morning that appear to be components of the forthcoming iPad 3. While the various images show some interesting updates to some of the tablet’s internal components, they also suggest that the device will be almost identical to its predecessor, the iPad 2.

Cult of Mac has obtained images from iPatch, a British company specializing in the repair of iOS devices. The leaked images include the internal cable for the sleep/wake button, mute switch, and volume buttons. Despite slight internal differences, the arrangement of the buttons appears very much the same. Other images show the microphone, which is significantly different than the one found in the iPad 2. The internal Wi-Fi components also appear to be significantly different, as does the headphone jack.

Other images, both from Cult of Mac and Chinese tech blog Apple.Pro (Google Translation) purport to show the back panel of the iPad. Assuming they’re genuine, it looks like the iPad 3 is going to be basically identical to the iPad 2 from an external design standpoint.

These images confirm what the rumor mill has been saying for some time: the iPad 3 will get some fairly significant internal upgrades, but will be basically the same as the iPad 2 on the outside. A prototype of the iPad 3 was purportedly spotted in the wild at CES last month. Apart from being marginally thicker than the iPad 2, it was identical. Meanwhile, other rumors have suggested major internal upgrades to the tablet, including a quad-core processor, 4G LTE capability, a significant camera upgrade, and a retina display.

For more information you can find all our iPad 3 coverage here. We’re already over a quarter of the way through February, and the iPad is likely to launch some time in March. That being the case, you can expect more rumors – and more reliable rumors – to surface in the coming weeks. Check back here for more information as it becomes available.

February 9, 2012
Defense Zone Game Now In HD For iPad

The creators of Defense Zone, a popular tower defense game, have announced the release of its new HD version for iPad2.

In the new HD version, players can enjoy detailed backdrops with different types of landscapes, which can be used in defense schemes. Attacks of enemy units are generated by a special algorithm, which makes each attack more challenging than the previous version. As opposed to other games of this genre, Defense Zone does not feature any superweapon.

Previous versions of Defense Zone were sometimes too challenging for some players. Therefore Easy and Medium modes have been made simpler in this version.

With OpenFeint support it is possible to compare your results with those of other players.

Game Features Include:- HD quality, detailed backdrops and impressive visual effects;
– balanced levels;
– weapons with different firepower, rate of fire, firing range, blast radius and price;
– different types of landscape;
– strategic thinking involved;
– support for OpenFeint;
– rated 12+.

February 9, 2012
Buffalo Wild Wings Experiments With On-Table iPad Ordering

After an initial pilot program in Toronto, Buffalo Wild Wings is expanding a program that will allow the restaurant’s patrons to order their food from an iPad at their table. The goal is to speed up and enhance the customer experience, not to replace the restaurant’s regular wait staff. In fact, the chain hopes that allowing customers to order from iPads on the table will allow the wait staff more freedom to interact with customers.

The program was originally launched in one of the chain’s Toronto locations, and has now been expanded to a restaurant in Minneapolis. The iPads used at the tables are in a Hubworks case that includes an extended battery and credit card reader.

The program is definitely in its early phases, so don’t look for an iPad at your local Buffalo Wild Wings just yet. It will be interesting to see how this program performs.

What do you think of ordering from an iPad? Let us know in the comments.

[Source: ComputerWorld]

February 7, 2012
AT&T U-verse App Hits Apple iPad And Other Tablets

Just when you think your tablet couldn’t get any cooler, AT&T decides to release their U-verse app for tablets to really fluff the cool factor. AT&T announced their new tablet app today saying that it can be used for current (and future) U-verse subscribers. Essentially you can manage your DVR schedule and watch a host of different shows all on your device.

AT&T says there are some neat added features to the new updated app as well, such as the ability to use your tablet as a remote control and accessing photos from your favorite shows. Use your tablet at home and link with your TV and you can receive extra content from all your shows. Use it on-the-go and never forget to DVR your favorite programs again with the full featured DVR app and the fully intuitive remote control feature, reports AT&T.

http://youtu.be/I9a5-Xt2fF0

David Christopher, Chief Marketing Officer for AT&T mobility and he said this about the new technology:

“Today, we are taking our best in class TV experience and taking it to a whole new level by joining two very powerful platforms: your TV and iPad.”

He continued, saying:

“With our new app, AT&T U-verse customers have access to incredible functionality to make the TV experience much richer, from superior search and control functionality, to fresh content that tells you more about what you’re watching, to the ability to share what you’re watching with your friends through social networks. And, when they leave the home, our customers can take the U-verse experience with them.”

February 7, 2012
Foxconn Employee Shares Experiences Working On Apple Products

Apple has recently come under fire for the reported abuses at their chinese factories operated by Foxconn. As chinese workers come forward with more and more instances of abuse, American have started their own campaign, calling for Apple to take action on behalf of the workers.

Despite the abuses, many still clamor to Foxconn with hopes of earning a paycheck to help feed their family. Now an 18 year old student has come forward to discuss her experiences at Foxconn building Apple Brand products.

She reports that her first month at Foxconn consisted of a 60 hour work weeks attaching stickers to the front of iPad screens on an assembly line (doesn’t sound that different from what Americans are doing).

Under the alias Ms. Chen she describes her work at Foxconn to CNN:

“It’s so boring, I can’t bear it anymore, everyday is like: I get off from work and I go to bed. I get up in the morning, and I go to work. It is my daily routine and I almost feel like an animal.”

Ms. Chen is studying to become a biologist so that she doesn’t have to work at Foxconn again. Foxconn e-mailed a statement to CNN addressing the issue of abuse in their factories:

“Foxconn takes our responsibility to our employees very seriously and we work hard to give our 1.2 million employees in China a safe and positive working environment and compensation and benefits that are competitive with all of our industry peers in that location,”

I sympathize with the chinese people and the horrible abuses and exploitations they have suffered through, but I don’t see Ms. Chen’s story as one of abuse. Many people in developed nations work over 60 hours a week and are bored with their job. This doesn’t constitute abuse claims. She chose to work at Foxconn, they didn’t enslave her there. I am sure she was paid for her work regardless of how meager that pay was.

Hopefully Foxconn and Apple are taking legitimate steps to improve working conditions in China. I hate to think about the sacrifices early Americans had to make to build up the industry in this country. I think many citizens have forgotten the sacrifices made in the name of our lands. China will continue to grow and evolve economically, it will be interesting to see how they decide to treat their people and make policies to protect them.

February 7, 2012
Android, iOS App Celebrates 75 Years Of Dr. Seuss

Seventy-five years ago a cartoonist and poet by the name of Theodore Seuss Geisel decided to try his hand at writing children’s literature. The first result was a wonderful little book about a boy letting his imagination wander as he walked down Mulberry Street, headed home from school.

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, an app has been released for iOS and Android devices. Like previous apps made from Dr. Seuss books, the Mulberry Street app offers users a variety of reading options. Autoplay takes readers through the book, reading the words and turning the pages automatically. The “Read It To Me” option reads the words aloud, but lets users decide when to turn the pages. The “Read It Myself” option presents Mulberry Street as a standard e-book, letting users turn the pages and read the words on their own.

Apps of Dr. Seuss’s books have consistently been excellent, and Mulberry Street is no exception. The app is $2.99 in the Android App Market and the iOS App Store. The iOS version is a universal app, meaning it plays on either the iPad or the iPhone/iPod Touch. Go check it out, then let us know what you think in the comments.

February 3, 2012
Study: Amazon Gains Momentum, Kindle Fire Less Satisfying Than iPad

A new study has been published that shows Amazon as king of the hill among online retailers. The study, conducted by ChangeWave Research, looked at the planned online shopping activities of over 2,600 North American shoppers.

According to the survey data, 46% of respondents in January 2012 said that they planned to make home entertainment purchases at Amazon in the next 90 days. That’s a 10% jump from January 2011, when only 36% said they planned to shop at Amazon in next 90 days.

The study also compared Amazon to other online retailers, and the results are surprising. Amazon beat Costco, eBay, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target by enormous margins. Twenty percent of respondents said they planned to spend more money at Amazon in the next 90 days than they had in the last 90 days, while 11% said they would spend less, 49% said they would spend the same, and only 20% said they would spend no money at all. Costco was in a far distant second: 3% said they would spend more, 4% said less, 16% said they would spend the same, and 77% of respondents said they would spend no money at all.

Interestingly, owning a Kindle fire seems to make customers more likely to spend money on Amazon. Of respondents who did not own a Kindle Fire, only 19% said they would spend more money at Amazon in the next 90 days, while 29% of Kindle Fire owners said they would do so.

Even so, it seems that all is not well in the land of Kindle Fire owners. When it came to customer satisfaction the Kindle Fire came in a distant second after Apple’s iPad tablet. When asked to rate their satisfaction with their tablet, 74% of iPad owners said that they were very satisfied with their tablet, compared to only 54% of Kindle Fire owners. The good news for Amazon, though, is that although the Kindle Fire falls well below the iPad, it beats other tablets by 5%. Only 49% of owners of other tablets said they were very satisfied with their device.

Another interesting aspect of the survey deals with what, specifically, Kindle Fire owners liked and disliked most about their devices. The most popular feature of the Kindle Fire by far is its price. Fifty-nine percent of respondents listed that as what they liked best about the device. In a distant second at 31% was the color screen, followed by ease of use at 27%. Kindle Fire owners’ dislikes, on the other hand, tended to center on features that the Kindle Fire lacks but that the iPad has. The chief complaint about the Kindle Fire was the lack of physical volume buttons (27%), followed by the lack of a camera (21%), poor battery life (15%), and lack of 3G/4G connectivity (12%). Interestingly, the 3G connectivity users miss in the Kindle Fire is a feature that has been present in previous e-ink versions of the Kindle.

The full report is available from ChangeWave here.

February 3, 2012
iCloud Recovers iPad For Sales Manager

Hennie Stander, a sales manager was pleasantly surprised by the swift reaction of police officers after he lost his iPad at the airport. He boarded a plane headed for a business meeting carrying his iPad and a briefcase and forgot the iPad as his fight exited.

Stander recalls the events:

“I used my iPad while I was on the plane. I was going to be late for my meeting and, in the rush of departing the plane, I forgot my iPad in a compartment in front of my seat”.

Upon realizing he forget the device, he contacted the airline to report the mishap and see if it was turned into lost and found.

Stander explains what he did next:

“I then decided to log on to my laptop and the iCloud service (which links Apple products with one another), and found that my iPad was still in the vicinity of the airport.”

He reported what he found back to airline officials who instructed hime to contact the authorities. Using the iCloud the police tracked the device and found the thieves who took it, a driver for an aircraft catering company and a janitor. The men were arrested.

February 3, 2012
Super Bowl XLVI Gets An App For iPhone, Android

The NFL has released an app created for those lucky enough to have tickets to Sunday’s Super Bowl. The app, SB XLVI Guide, includes a wide array of useful features for those going to the big game. It includes a driving map of the area around Lucas Oil Stadium, including street directions, road blocks, and closures.

The app also includes data about Lucas Oil Stadium itself, including restroom and vending locations, as well as a seating chart to help you get to where you need to go once you get in.

For those not at the game – or for those who are and want to see what viewers at home are seeing – the app also gives you the option of watching a live stream of the game.

The app is free in both the iOS App Store and the Android App Market. The iOS version is a universal app, compatible with both the iPad and the iPhone/iPod Touch. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments.

February 3, 2012
Apple Putting iPad And iPhone Back On Sale In Germany

Just a little while ago we brought you news that Apple had withdrawn most of it’s 3G capable iOS devices from its online store in Germany. The devices were pulled when Motorola began enforcing a decision handed down in December that found that Apple’s iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPad 2 3G infringed on patents held by Motorola in Europe.

The ban didn’t last long at all, however, as the devices are now back up in Apple’s online store in Germany. Apparently a higher court suspended the injunction this morning in response to Apple’s appeals. Apple appealed on the grounds that Motorola refused to license the relevant patents according to the EU’s FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, And Non-Discriminatory) rules.

The suspension is temporary, however, which means that Apple could be required to remove the devices again if further appeals are unsuccessful. The wi-fi iPad and the iPhone 4S are exempt from the injunction, which means that they have remained available despite the injunction. Also, as noted this morning, the injunction did not cover sales of the devices in physical stores, only in Apple’s online store.

February 3, 2012
Apple Worker Protection Petition Gains Momentum

Communications consultant Mark Shields is an Apple products fan who has decided to do something about the abuse claims at Apple supplier Foxconn’s manufacturing facilities in China. He has drafted a petition asking Apple to release a worker protection strategy for all new product releases.

Shields is asking Apple to continue their motto of “thinking differently” and transfer that mentality over to protecting the laborers who build their products. In the petition he urges Apple to hear his point of view:

“….I want to continue to use and love the products you make, because they’re changing the world, and have already changed my life. But I also want to know that when I buy products from you, it’s not at the cost of horrible human suffering.”

Tim Cook, CEO at Apple claims that apple has made great strides in the fight against work place abuse in China, more than anyone else in the industry. He’s outraged about the claims and denies the incidents are the result of any policies at Apple.

As perceptions of Apple begin to change in the eyes of consumers, Shields reports that his petition has gathered over 162,000 signatures. Perhaps this petition will be a catalyst for change over in Asia but I have my doubts about whether this is anything more than just a fleeting interest for the American public. The recent abuses at Foxconn are just part of a long heritage of exploits by American companies in foreign lands.

I believe, and so do those who have signed this petition, that every human being is entitled to safe working conditions at the very least. The down side is, I don’t believe the American consumer is willing to sacrifice low costs for improved worker safety. Don’t be fooled, that’s what it will take to make change in this area. Safety costs time and resources; signing pieces of paper will not get the job done. If Tim Cook was being honest, he would admit that improved safety translates to higher costs and that’s something shareholders will not like.

February 3, 2012
iPad 3 Release Date: Amazon Gives A Clue

Most of the speculation recently has focused on the iPad 3’s features – including yesterday’s report that it would have 4G LTE and a quad-core processor. Much less attention has been given recently to the device’s release date. Now, however, some fuel has been added to that particular fire thanks to Amazon France. Yesterday they posted two iPad 3 user guides – Ipad 3 pour les nuls, and Auf die Schnelle iPad 3 ganz leicht – both scheduled for release on March 29.

While the posting of the two books is hardly solid evidence by itself, it goes on top of a pile of clues pointing to a late March release for Apple’s iPad. Reports out of Asia have been saying for some time that Apple’s supply chain has been preparing to reach full production sometime in February in preparation to launch an initial production run of 7 million units sometime in March. Also, a late March time frame fits extremely well with Apple’s established habits. The original iPad shipped in early April 2010, and the iPad 2 went on sale in mid-March 2011.

With February already upon us, expect iPad 3 rumors to become even more intense over the next few weeks as more details start to escape into the wild. Keep it here for the latest iPad 3 news.

February 2, 2012
Sweden Looks To Replace Textbooks With iPads

Sweden seems to have taken Nolan Bushnell’s words to heart. A school system in the country wants to modernize teaching with computer integration.

A suburb of Stockholm, Sollentuna, is proposing that the public schools do away with textbooks by 2013. In their place, they want to give every student an iPad.

Maria Stockhaus, chair of Sollentuna’s children and education board, argues that schools in her municipality are in the “backwater” compared to the rest of the country according to The Local.

“The schools will take a step into the now instead of staying in the old days. Computers are as natural in schools as paper and pens, yet the fact that only every other teacher in Sweden has a computer today is completely insane,” Stockhaus said.

There has been backlash at the idea though. Sweden’s education minister Jan Björklund insists that reading books and writing by hands are still relevant, even in the far out future of 2012.

“Even in the future people will need to read and write. You can’t always have access to a computer in some places,” he told DN. “Books have an obvious place in school, and national exams are still written by hand. I predict that they will not follow through with their proposals.”

Sollentuna has already issued computers to all teachers, and plans to give tablet PCs to every student from 2nd grade onward.

The schools receiving iPads are Helenelundsskolan, Sofielundsskolan and Runbacka. Say those names three times fast.

In a bold move, Stockhaus says that students won’t be given pen and paper until they are 8-years-old. This way, students will be accustomed to touch screen technology earlier in life. She argues that this will equip students for the future.

The benefit of giving every child their own computer is more about leveling the playing field for families with different incomes.

“We know that not every student has computer access at home. These students who come from homes with tighter finances have worse grades. An even greater wedge will occur if they do not get the same digital competence as the others,” Stockhaus said.

She also claims that feedback is immediate on a computer, thus speeding up the learning process.

Another school with a name I can’t pronounce (Tegelhagsskolan) introduced PC access to all students three years ago. Their students have consistently excelled in academics since.

The initial investment will cost $2.45 million in the start up phase. The cost will increase to $3 million in 2013. It will be partially paid for by the elimination of costly textbooks.

February 1, 2012
Mobile Devices Surpass Computers In Global Chip Buying

Spending on microchips for wireless devices soared to $58.6 billion in 2011, according to a study released today. That’s an increase of 14.5% over 2010, when original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) spent $51.2 billion. What’s more, spending on chips for wireless devices beat spending on chips for computers by a significant margin.OEMs spent $53.7 billion on chips for computers, an increase of only 4%.

While this is not the first time spending on chips for wireless has beaten spending on chips for computers, it is the first time the margin has been so big. In 2009 spending on wireless chips was also higher, though the two were considerably closer. In 2010 PC chips spending just barely edged out wireless chip spending.

This trend is only going to continue in the coming years, it seems. The study projects OEM spending on wireless chips to continue its surge in 2012 and 2013 – maybe as high as $72.9 billion – while computer spending remains basically the same.

The cause of this trend is easy to identify. The smartphone market has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and the introduction of Apple’s iPad in 2010 created a tablet market that has also seen incredible growth. As smartphones and tablets continue to become even more ubiquitous, spending on the microchips necessary to build the devices will only increase. Computers, on the other hand, are already ubiquitous, and unlikely to see anything like the surge we are seeing in the mobile device market.

February 1, 2012
iPad 3 Getting 4G LTE, Quad-Core Processor

Images surfaced this morning that show evidence of some of the specs of Apple’s forthcoming iPad 3. The photos, which were apparently given to BGR by a source in possession of a prototype device, come from a diagnostic developer tool called iBoot. The screenshots contain references to a quad-core processor and two versions of the device: one wi-fi only, the other with cellular data connectivity. The latter is apparently capable of running on both GSM and CDMA networks, and includes LTE capabilities. That means the same iPad will be able to connect with both AT&T and Verizon’s networks, and will be able to run on either carrier’s new 4G LTE network.

The images are included below, courtesy of BGR. Take a look and let us know what you think in the comments.

February 1, 2012
Foxconn Building 5 Brazilian Factories For Apple Products

At the end of last week we brought you news that the government of Brazil had approved tax incentives that would encourage Foxconn’s production of iPads in that country. Now it seems that the company is planning to build 5 more Brazilian factories.

According to a report in the Brazilian newspaper Folha (Google translation), the announcement came from the office of Julio Semeghini, Secretary of Planning and Development for the State of São Paulo. Though Foxconn apparently declined to confirm the information, Semeghini said that the country will begin negotiations with the company at the conclusion of the Chinese New Year. The negotiations are expected to deal primarily with the locations of the plants. Some will undoubtedly be in São Paulo, though other Brazilian states may want a share of Foxconn’s investment as well.

The five factories will each employ around a thousand workers each. They are expected to focus on the production of Apple’s iPad and iPhone, as well as related accessories, manuals, power supplies, and cables. There is no indication of when the factories might come online.

January 31, 2012
Samsung Loses Galaxy Tab Ban Appeal In Germany

Samsung has lost its appeal of an injunction banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany. The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court upheld a lower court’s ban on sales of the device. Interestingly, though, the higher court decided to uphold the ban because of what it deemed unfair business practices by Samsung, rather than on the grounds of the copyright infringemment claim by Apple. Though the original injunction covered much of Europe, it was later restricted to only Germany.

The court’s decision to uphold this ban is the latest in a string of rulings that have not favored the Korean electronics giant. German courts have thrown out two separate suits Samsung has filed against Apple for patent infringement in as many weeks. Samsung and Apple have been waging a worldwide legal battle since last spring over Samsung’s alleged copying of Apple’s design elements. The conflict started with the Samsung Galaxy line of phones, and came to a head with the launch of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Apple filed suit in the US to block sales of the device, Samsung quickly countersued in the US and elsewhere in a legal battle that now spans ten countries and around twenty individual suits. Injunctions on the sale of the are or have been in place in several countries, including the one still in effect in Germany, and another in Australia that was lifted just in time for the 2011 Christmas season.

January 31, 2012
Verizon Preparing To Launch Shared iPhone, iPad Data Plans

Verizon and AT&T have both said in in the past six months that they were planning to launch shared data plans for phones and tablets. Both companies currently offer separate data plans for separate devices. That is, if you have an iPhone and a 3G iPad, your iPhone data network is paid directly to Verizon or AT&T on your phone bill, while your iPad data plan is paid separately, through your iTunes store account. Under the new plans, users would be able to unify the two bills, paying both at once and eliminating the hassle of separate charges.

There is no word yet on how soon these new plans will be rolling out. Engaget is reporting that a source inside Verizon had seen references to “account level data plans” in employee training materials. Presumably the new plans will be available soon, but until Verizon makes an official announcement, there is no way to be sure when. Given that AT&T made their announcement about the shared data plan a full six months before Verizon, they aren’t likely to let Verizon get much of a jump on them, which means that we can probably expect AT&T to make an announcement not long after Verizon does.

January 30, 2012
Barnes & Noble Preparing New Nook

In its bid to stay competitive with Amazon, Barnes and Noble appears to be preparing a new addition to their line of Nook readers and tablets. According to a recent report, the company’s engineers are preparing the new device for a release sometime this spring.

There are almost no details on the device, which was mentioned in a piece in the New York Times on the company’s bid to keep itself alive as the last nationwide brick-and-mortar book retailer. In all likelihood it is either an update to the Nook Tablet or a new e-ink reader, possibly featuring a color display like the one featured at CES earlier this month.

The financial collapse of Borders this year left Barnes and Noble standing alone – though not necessarily triumphant – as the last of the great brick-and-mortar bookstores. The company has remained competitive thanks in large part to its entrance into the e-reader market with the Nook line of devices. The original Nook launched a few months after Amazon released their second generation Kindle e-reader. It featured an e-ink book display and a touch screen navigation interface, seen by many as superior to the Kindle’s physical keyboard. Later they beat Amazon into the tablet market by a considerable margin with the launch of the Nook Color and then the Nook Tablet. Despite generally positive reviews and a significant head start, the Nook Tablet has not managed the same level of popularity as Amazon’s own tablet, the Kindle Fire, which released late last year.

It will be interesting to see what Barnes and Noble has in store with its next Nook device. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.

January 30, 2012
Viral Video: Joy of Books

In a world of iPads, Kindles, Nooks and laptops, the classic book is slipping. But, a pair of book aficionados in Toronto were willing to recruit friends and put in tireless nights of stop motion photography work to fan the low embers of book support. The result was this gorgeous video that has so far been viewed 2.5 million times on YouTube.

January 30, 2012
Valentine’s Day At Apple Brings Free Engraving, Shipping

With Valentine’s Day just two weeks away, Apple hopes that a couple of small offers will tempt you into buying your sweetheart an iPad 2.

“The iPad 2 is attractive, smart, and fun to be around – Just like your Valentine,” says Apple. And with that, they are offering free engraving through the Apple online store. “To my sweetheart, who loves Angry Birds almost as much as she loves me,” perhaps.

Apple has a Valentine’s Day gift guide as well that suggests iPad accessories, iPhone gifts, as well as designer gifts to compliment various Apple devices.

Apple is also offering free shipping on any item that’s on the Valentine’s Day gift guide, even if it doesn’t reach the $50 threshold usually set for Apple’s free shipping.

If you’re going to get your beau an engraved tablet for Valentine’s Day, just make sure they know to get you more than a box of chocolates.

January 30, 2012